India claimed their first-ever Women's Cricket World Cup title, after Deepti Sharma's heroics with bat and ball helped them to a 52-run victory over South Africa.

Laura Wolvaardt scored a century for South Africa, but it was not enough to help them to a maiden crown, with India's strengths coming to the fore in the biggest game.

India started strongly, with Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali Verma (87) putting on a 104-run partnership for the first wicket to set the tone.

Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues (24) both fell in quick succession before the end of the 30th over, but Sharma got the team back on track with a knock of 58 from as many balls.

She kept pushing India towards the 300-run mark alongside Richa Ghosh (34), but they fell just short on 298-7, with Sharma run out by Chloe Tryon on the very last ball of their innings.

Wolvaardt has been no stranger to a century at the World Cup, and she once again anchored South Africa's innings, but others around her struggled.

They found themselves floundering at 148-5 in the 30th over, with Varma (2-36) helping to keep the score down, but South Africa steadied the ship somewhat with Annerie Dercksen's (35) introduction.

However, Sharma was ruthless as she claimed five wickets for 39 runs, including those of Wolvaardt and Dercksen, as the lower order collapsed to 246 with 27 balls remaining.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃

India clinch their maiden Women’s @cricketworldcup title at #CWC25  pic.twitter.com/48UpW1jq8a

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) November 2, 2025

Data Debrief: India get their name up in lights

India are only the fourth team ever to lift the trophy, having twice fell at the final hurdle, in 2005 and 2017.

Their score of 298-7 is the second-highest total ever in a Women's Cricket World Cup final behind Australia's 356-5 against England (2022); no team batting second has ever beaten England's total of 285 in that same showpiece.

But the final belonged to Sharma; she notched her fourth career five-for, racking up her best total against South Africa in the process, while also registering an 18th half-century.